Conner Prairie was founded by pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in the 1930s. In 1974, Lilly transferred the William Conner house, which he had restored, and related outbuildings to a public charitable trust of which Earlham College, a Quaker liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana, was named as trustee. Lilly also transferred about 1,400 acres (5.7 km2) of surrounding farmland to the college with the expectation that Earlham would sell that land and use the proceeds to provide an endowment for the museum. Instead, Earlham elected to retain the farmland and expand the museum, constructing an 1836 village, Prairietown, using funds that Lilly provided for this purpose. The museum grew in scope and popularity. In 1992 Earlham created a wholly owned subsidiary to run the museum and appointed a local volunteer board of directors, while retaining financial control over the museum's operations. Beginning in 1999, tension began to develop between the board of directors and Earlham regarding the museum's governance and the college's financial policies. The dispute culminated in Earlham's dismissal of the board of directors and president of the museum in June 2003. The Indiana Attorney General intervened and, after a lengthy and contentious dispute, a settlement was reached under which Earlham resigned as trustee of the public charitable trust, the Lilly endowment was allocated between Conner Prairie and the college and the museum became completely independent. Conner Prairie now has its own board of directors and maintains its own finances and endowment fund. In 2009 Conner Prairie became an affiliate in the Smithsonian Affiliations program.[1]

The museum grounds are divided into several sections, where different eras in history are recreated to create a kind of living timeline. Staff in period costumes demonstrate the way early inhabitants in the area lived. They explain their lifestyles in character while performing chores such as cooking, chopping wood, making pottery, and tending to animals. Patrons are often invited to join in the activities.

The museum's main building, called the Museum Center, contains the entrance lobby, ticket sales counter, banquet hall, and gift shop. The gift shop sells pottery made by the museum's costumed staff as well as more conventional souvenirs.

Conner Prairie features several permanent attractions and numerous semi-regular events, including special monthly programming such as "Taste the Past", a "Headless Horseman ride" in the autumn, candlelight tours, and a country fair. It also hosts American Civil War reenactments, "Hearthside Suppers", and Christmas holiday events and dinners.

Built in 1823, the William Conner House is a two-story Federal style brick house on the terrace edge of the West Fork of the White River. The house is believed to be one of the first brick buildings built in central Indiana. Seven of William and Elizabeth Conner's ten children were born in the home. Conner's house was used as the meeting place for the County Commissioners, Circuit Court, and served as a post office in the early days of Hamilton County. Although Conner lived in the house until only 1837, his sons and their families are believed to have continued to reside in the house until 1874.[5] In the 1860s, Conner's Delaware children he had with Mekinges Conner unsuccessfully attempted to gain title to the land.

The house continued to be used as a residence by various owners until 1935, when Conner's house was purchased by Eli Lilly, who was at that time president of the Indiana Historical Society. Lilly restored the house and turned it into a museum.[5]

The genuine Conner brick house and barn are preserved as a museum. Visitors can hear about how early Hoosiers cooked, spun and dyed thread and yarn, and cared for their animals and crops. The house is believed to be one of the first brick buildings built in central Indiana.

The 1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana documents Morgan's Raid, the longest raid of the Civil War behind enemy lines and the most important event of the Civil War on Indiana soil. Using live action, video, and other interactive activities, the Civil War Journey documents the raid as seen through the eyes of historical figures, notably miss Attia Porter, Confederate brigadier generalJohn Hunt Morgan, and Albert Cheetham.[3] In this exhibit, visitors will be able to walk through a reconstruction of the town of Dupont and be a part of the Civil War conflict. Children can also board a replica steam boat, then play in the water area.[6]

The Civil War Journey is set in the town of Dupont, a southern Indiana town that was invaded by Confederate raiders during the 1863 raid. Visitors can stop by the Mayfield and Nichols Dry Goods Store and the Porter Family home, as well as a telegraph station, soldiers' camp, and field hospital. Although much of the Civil War Journey is presented through the use of technology, historic interpreters also play a large part in the presentation of the site. Guests can talk to soldiers of the 103rd Indiana Regiment and the citizens of Dupont, who are willing to share their views on the war and Morgan's Raid. Occasionally, reenactors portraying various Union and Confederate units are also present at the site, which gives a more in-depth portrait of the raid.

Prairietown is a recreated pioneer community set in 1836. Unlike the Civil War Journey, Prairietown is not an actual Indiana settlement, but rather a fictitious recreation of what such settlement may have been like in the early days of Indiana's statehood. Along with several residences, Prairietown has its own blacksmith shop, pottery shop, inn, doctor's office, and schoolhouse. Visitors arriving early in the day might help with morning chores. Guests are also invited to take a role in Prairietown society using one of the character cards found at the entrance to the site. Rather than focussing on a single event, Prairietown shows what day-to-day life was like for the citizens of frontier Indiana. Historic Interpreters dressed in period clothing and doing first-person impressions of the people of Prairietown are throughout the site, and can help give a unique picture of what life was like in their time period. True to their era, these interpreters will not discuss of any events or inventions that came about after 1836. However, blue shirted employees scattered throughout the site can help guests approach Prairietown from a modern point of view.

On June 6, 2009 Conner Prairie opened the 1859 Balloon Voyage. Visitors can take 15 minute rides in a tethered balloon to a height of 350 feet (110 m). The balloon is filled with 210,000 cubic feet (5,900 m3) of helium and is 105 feet (32 m) tall, making it the largest tethered gas passenger balloon in the world.[7] The gondola can carry up to about twenty people and the balloon can lift up to 4.5 tons. The ballon was manufactured by the French company Aerophile. There are currently only five of these balloons in the United States.

An educational exhibit accompanies the balloon voyage. The exhibit is a recreation of a Lafayette streetscape and includes several hands-on, interactive elements that teach the historical context and the technology of ballooning. The entire attraction is based on the historic August 17, 1859 trip of Aeronoaut John Wise, where he made the first airmail delivery in the United States 25 miles (40 km) from Lafayette, Indiana to Crawfordsville, Indiana carrying 123 letters and 23 circulars.[8][9]

Sunset and night time flights do occur on weekends when the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is playing their Symphony on the Prairie summer series. The balloon ride is dependent on weather and must be landed during high winds. This is a permanent addition to Conner Prairie and is open with the rest of the park from April to October.

Lenapehoking recreates bark and cattail mat wigwams and a fur trade camp with a log cabin. Visitors can learn how the Lenape (Delaware Indians) lived in Indiana and hunted and trapped animals to trade with white fur traders. Also there are tomahawk throws which demonstrates one of the skills needed for the hunting trips. Throwing the tomahawks would increase hand eye coordination as well as accuracy.

Conner Prairie serves as the summer home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The Friday/Saturday Symphony on the Prairie concert series, sponsored by Marsh Supermarkets, attracts some 90,000+ concert goers each year, a substantial percentage of Conner Prairie's annual visitor count.

The Spirit of the Prairie Awards began in 1998. The event honors individuals who demonstrate "excellence in achievement, courage, innovation and vision," all of which are characteristics shown by those establishing the United States. The awards are Conner Prairie Museum's highest honors.